LEWIS HAMILTON stormed to a magnificent Canadian Grand Prix victory yesterday to become the seventh winner in seven Formula One races this season and seize the championship lead.

The Briton had to mount a ferocious charge after his second pitstop, banging in a series of fastest laps to reel in Red Bull's reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Frenchman Romain Grosjean was second in a Lotus, a career best, with Mexican Sergio Perez third in a Sauber after overtaking Alonso -- a driver he may end up partnering next season if he continues to impress. It was Hamilton's third win in Montreal -- an island circuit where he took his first grand prix win in 2007 -- in five races.

The 2008 champion, who also stood on top of the podium in Canada in 2010, had his most worrying moments in the two pitstops -- McLaren's weak point this season -- but on the track he was unstoppable.

"What a great feeling, this is where I won my first Grand Prix and I knew today would be a tough, tough race but I loved every single minute of it," said Hamilton, who now has 88 points to Alonso's 86 and Vettel's 85.

"It's been five years since I won here the first time but it feels just as good," he said.

"This feels like one of the very best races I have had for a long time."

Vettel had started from pole, just like last year, and led the early part of the 70-lap race but lost pace over the final laps to finish fourth in a grand prix that his Red Bull team have yet to win.

Spaniard Alonso, bidding to give resurgent Ferrari a victory on the 30th anniversary of the tragic death of former Ferrari great Gilles Villeneuve, but struggling on worn tyres at the finish, had to settle for fifth.